Preparation details
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2–4 servings depending on portion size
- Serving
- Serves 2; serve warm with yogurt, ice cream, or on its own.
- Duration
- About 30–40 minutes total; stovetop simmer.
Echinacea-Poached Pears
Pears poached in echinacea-spiced liquid for a simple, elegant dessert or breakfast topping.
What do you have on hand?
Associated use
Where this preparation appears
This link provides navigation context. Evidence and health guidance belong to the ingredient-condition page.
Menstrual cramps self-care guide →About the ingredient
Echinacea
Echinacea has mixed and inconsistent evidence for common-cold prevention or treatment, with no clear, reliable benefit established across studies. Echinacea is traditionally used for upper-respiratory infections, including the common cold.
See evidence, safety, and uses →Ingredients
- dried echinacea root
- 1/4 cup
- water
- 2 cups
- granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup
- ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon
- firm ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored
- 2
- lemon juice (to prevent browning)
- 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine water, sugar, dried echinacea root, and ground cinnamon; bring to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the pear halves (tuck them snugly into the liquid) and simmer gently, partially covered, for 12–18 minutes depending on pear ripeness, turning once so they cook evenly.
- Test pears with a knife or skewer — they should be tender but hold shape.
- Remove pears with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Increase the heat and boil the poaching liquid until it reduces to a glossy syrup (about 5–8 minutes); strain out the echinacea and cinnamon pieces.
- Return pears to the saucepan to warm in the syrup for a minute, then plate and spoon syrup over them.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 4 days; reheat gently before serving.
Equipment: saucepan, peeler, knife, measuring cups, slotted spoon.
Safety information
Get medical help if echinacea may cause allergic reactions, especially in people with allergies to plants in the daisy family.
Condition-specific cautions
Menstrual cramps: Cinnamon is generally safe in food amounts. Larger or prolonged supplemental amounts can cause gastrointestinal or allergic effects, and cassia cinnamon can contain substantial coumarin; use extra caution with liver disease, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or regular medicines.